Joshua doubles fortune to rocket up 2020 Rich List

Anthony Joshua has rocketed up the Sunday Times Rich List by more than doubling his fortune courtesy of that points victory over Andy Ruiz Jr last December.

The Londoner not only regained his IBF, WBA and WBO world heavyweight title belts with that victory, he also earned a whopping £60m before tax and other deductions

As a result of his exploits he more than doubled his wealth in 2019 according to the Sunday Times, who now estimate Joshua’s total net worth at an astonishing £107m, up an incredible £58m the previous year.

Joshua is still some way behind the leader on the main sports list – six-times Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who tops it with a staggering fortune of £224m.

Big times ahead for Joshua

With the potential for two monster fights against fellow Brit and world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on the radar in 2021, Joshua shouldn’t be too concerned about the gap to Hamilton at this stage.

Joshua’s mega payday from the rematch with Ruiz Jr in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was boosted significantly by the fight smashing domestic PPV records. The fight – aired by Sky Sports Box Office – delivered 1.6m guys at £24.95 a time. A fight with Fury would be confidently expected to set another record as probably the biggest bout in British boxing history.

Joshua meanwhile occupies second spot (up from fourth) on the Young Rich List for sportsmen – he is second only to Real Madrid and Wales footballer Gareth Bale (£114m) and his latest meteoric rise is the biggest of any sports star.

Anthony Joshua Sunday Times Rich List 2020
Joshua has more than doubled his wealth since the last Sunday Times Rich List was published.

As well as his paydays from fights inside the ring, Joshua also has a string of lucrative commercial endorsements with major brands including blue-chip partners such as Under Armour, Jaguar LandRover, Beats, British Airways and Hugo Boss.

While Joshua is expected to face off with Fury in 2021, his next scheduled fight is a mandatory title defence against 39-year-old Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev. That had been due to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now promoters are scrambling to find an alternative venue and date to hold the fight later in 2020 – with the likes of Saudi Arabia again and Pula, Croatia’s Roman amphitheatre both believed to be in the mix.